Saving India's Wildlife through Compassionate Conservation

This talk will describe in detail the challenges of wildlife welfare and protection in a developing nation and how the challenges include working with the local communities to decrease dependency on exploitation of animals and providing local people with alternative livelihoods. The session will give examples of how we worked for nearly twenty long years to eradicate the brutal and illegal practice of dancing bears across India and have now embarked on the protection of elephants. The talk will include inspiring examples of how what is often perceived as impossible (like rescuing elephants from a hostile mob of animal abusers) is definitely possible if one has a plan and a strategy and is committed to the cause.

KEY LEARNINGS:

Nothing is impossible.

Leap and a net shall appear.

If you are committed to the cause, nothing can stop you from helping animals.

BIO:

Kartick Satyanarayan is known for his work to end the dancing bear problem in India (view his TED talk). He is now focused on tackling bear conservation issues through biodiversity conservation, protecting habitat and creating bear conservation and education programs to mitigate bear/human conflict in India. He founded the charity Wildlife SOS India with Geeta Seshamani, which runs several projects to support bear conservation in India, including the largest rehabilitation center in the world for sloth bears. Wildlife SOS works with indigenous communities and in partnership with the Indian government to tackle the increasing bear/human conflict through awareness. Kartick is a Honorary Wildlife Warden of Delhi, member of the state wildlife advisory board for the Government of Uttar Pradesh, Member - Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, Member - Central Zoo Authority, and a Member of the Leopard Conflict committee of the National Tiger Conservation Authority of India.